Mir and Pravda
by YuNami XD
Summary: Other nations avoid him. His family fears him. All his life he has stuggled for survival. All he wants is peace. Peace and Truth.
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

**Prologue** -

Snow fell in sheets quickly covering a small child that had only recently appeared. At first glance he looked like any other ordinary infant. Tiny, confused, and most certainly helpless as the snow piled up around him, burning his delicate newborn skin. However, upon closer look there are some things that aren't right. First of all he didn't cry even though he was obviously uncomfortable in his harsh and unforgiving surroundings. Second of all he had several features that no child his size should have and that didn't fit his little body quite right. Lastly he doesn't look anything like the people found in surrounding regions. There aren't even any people that live around where this boy is. That is because he isn't an ordinary child. He is a new nation. One that is struggling to find an existence. He doesn't have much time though. He tries crawling, looking for some shelter that will help him to survive the night. Tiny fists reach out grabbing a ball of ice. He inches forward. Slowly the energy seeps out of him. He can't move his limbs and it's far too late to cry for help. He tries curling up in a ball. His body heat isn't enough. He won't even live to see his first sunrise.

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><p><strong>Russia is such a cute character in Hetalia so I'm writing a fic basically it's his life growing up. Going on creativity and a book I just read so if anybody who knows Russian history well has any corrections it would be really appreciated! ~Nami<strong>


	2. Chapter 2 Big Sister Kievan Rus

**Big Sister Kievan Rus** -

She felt the charge in the air. The change in the wind. The tingle all nations feel in the back of their necks when it happens. _A new nation._

Granted she hadn't been there for that long. She had only recently gained identity when she moved her capital to Kiev and took on the physical appearance of the Rus Vikings. Even then she had had issues with bordering khaganates and roaming steppe nomads that threatened her settlements.

Nonetheless, she gradually built her own nation and now she was beginning to take on a new role. A role that nations all face at some point or another which was caring for siblings.

It started a couple of months ago. She had had the same feeling that was flooding her now. As she started to move to the source of the energy she recalled the last time when she had gone south west, pulled by the inexplicable force, only to find a little girl. The little girl was lost and barely old enough to walk. She didn't have anywhere to go so Rus had taken her back home where she taught her Slavic and gave her minor around the house. All contributed to the community and the new girl was no exception.

Going farther and farther north, the harsh wind whipping in her face, Rus wondered what kind of nation could possibly have come from such a barren wasteland. She was literally in the middle of nowhere. Not quite attached to the innovative and calculating nations of what was to be known as Europe but also not part of the rich, far-off lands of Asia.

Vaguely wandering she could feel the presence grow stronger until she was standing in a small dip in the land that was filled with snow. She stretched her foot out and felt her way around until it collided with something. She crouched down and shoveled with her hands until she found him. His face was peaceful. She put her hand up to his face and felt shallow breathes. His whole body was blue and he looked on the brink of death but the strength in that small face made her decide that he was worth saving.

She scooped him up and bundled him in a scarf she had with her before placing him under her arm in her coat. Then she turned and made for home wondering what he would be like and if he would be of any use to her. After all, one couldn't afford to raise the weak. She had already thrown out two other pseudo-nations because the first was underdeveloped and the second was incompetent. If this new one didn't prove himself fast he would go just like the others.

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><p>A toddler stumbled around trying to walk on two stubby little legs. On the other side of the room a young girl made encouraging noises and held out her arms waiting to catch him if he fell. They were alone in a little hut that contained a bed, a stool, and most importantly, a fire. A great burning hearth in the middle of the room that protected and sheltered the two little children from the raging storm that was screaming through the cracks in the make-shift wooden door.<p>

As the toddler pushed himself up to try again the door opened and a cold wind came blasting in pushing him back down. A tall woman with pale, silvery-white hair came in holding a bundle. Both of the children looked over and came over to where she sat down after latching the door shut.

The woman placed the bundle on the floor letting the girl unwrap it while the boy looked on, his beautiful violet eyes lighting up with curiosity. A smile spread across the little girl's face as she was met with the face of another little girl, pitiful and mewling, her hands lashing out to claw at anything that dare come close.

Rus sighed and closed her eyes wincing. It had been a while now since she had brought the little boy home and in that time she had grown weaker. The Vikings' reign was declining and with the weakening of the once powerful and rich Byzantium, her friend and enemy, Keivan Rus felt her energy and will to live falter. The ominous feeling intensified with growing presence of a deadly enemy massing in the east. Keivan Rus felt her death coming and was set on finding all her succeeding nations before she fell.

Rus watched the three children interact. Once the infant had realized she wasn't in any danger her movements slowed but she still watched them cautiously with her deep navy blue eyes, like a cornered animal. The girl cooed and tried to smooth the little tuft of blonde hair popping out of the baby's head but pulled back when her hand was bitten, the sting lessened by the lack of teeth.

Moving forward, the toddler loomed over and took in the appearance on the newcomer. Reaching out the babies eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. The toddler stroked her tiny head and she purred with happiness.

Rus still hadn't named the children but that would come later. It wasn't her job to show them everything but to hold the higher knowledge in front of them like a carrot to a rabbit. They would hunger for that knowledge and using that hunger they would grow stronger, gaining pride and dignity. Rus had no doubt that these three nations would be the ones to take over her lands when she was gone. She had no doubt of their strength, their power. She had made sure of it when she raised the girl and the boy and she would do the same for the baby.

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><p>Kievan Rus later fell to the Tartars. Her three children came under their dominion and for a long time were subjected to the humiliation of paying them tribute. The Golden Horde felt no pity for the strange and alien nations and he was confident of their inferiority. He was wrong.<p>

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><p><strong>Hmmm... I wonder if Kievan Rus falls under the Ancient category with Grandpa Rome and Germania... Next chapter will be the rise of Moscovy and beginnings of the Tsars. Critical reviews are helpful especially when I get to the forming of the USSR. (I'm not exactly the expert in this stuff) ~Nami<strong>


	3. Chapter 3 Unity in Moscovy

**Unity in Moscovy** -

Sitting in their small little home three children huddled together. They couldn't light a fire often anymore because all their wood was being used for trade, tools, or tribute. Their feet were practically nestling in the long dead ashes, the warmth quickly sucked away by the frigid air that cut across their faces.

The eldest, a modest looking girl with ashy blonde hair pulled into a pinned up braid, smiled and held the two little ones closer. In the time she had been alive the girl had never been so low but still she clung to childish happiness like a life preserver in the sea of despair that permeated the thoughts and minds of her people. All she had to do was make it through one more day and she could survive. She would be strong for her siblings and for her down-trodden populace.

"Did you see? There was a little more sun today than yesterday and the traders finally came through. They had such pretty things! Weren't they pretty Natalia? And what did you do today Ivan? You didn't come with us and you've been awfully quiet ever since you came back."

The little boy she was addressing was too lost in thought to respond. He stared down at his feet imagining flames dancing there. The yearn for its fiery embrace filled his head till he could almost feel and tingle in his feet that spread up his legs and brushed past his face. They had gone so long in the cold. So long surviving on their own. He reached his hand out and touched the icy floor shocking him out of his daydream.

When she couldn't get a response from him, the older girl turned and tried talking to her younger counterpart.

"Didn't we have such fun today Natalia? You hardly ever spend time alone with me and the foreigners didn't glare at us like they usually do. You even got something new with the money that stranger gave to you didn't you?"

When she tried to lean forward and take the small object that was clenched in Natalia's hand the five year old hissed at her and crawled behind her big brother who was still ignoring both of them. The smaller girl stroked her little treasure that she had indeed bought from the charity of the tall, dark haired man who was entranced by her angelic and frightened face.

Natalia had grabbed the coins when the man had offered them and suffered him to pat her on the head and speak softly to her in a strange voice before moving on. Her big sister, whose name was Yekaterina, was ecstatic at their good fortune and had told her that they should use it to buy food but Natalia just stomped off defiantly until she was at her destination. She glanced only briefly at the market stall before snatching the small wooden object, throwing half of the coins at the man, and giving the rest to her sister leaving her to apologize to the startled merchant and count out the correct amount owed.

This wooden object now laid in Natalia's tiny palm and with a flick a sharp piece of metal flew out revealing the object's deadly nature. Her face lit up and she slashed the knife around a bit before tucking the blade back inside and holding it close to her heart.

Yekaterina started at the weapon and shrank away from her unstable sister but her attention was shifted when she heard rough pounding on their make-shift door. She trembled as it was forced open and men with dark eyes and beards came stomping in. Natalia's eyes widened and she leaped behind her sister pulling her brother with her.

The men leered down at them and made a quick survey of their surroundings. There was a dusting of hay in the corner covered with a rag that served as the bed. A dirty wooden basket held the meager produce that was to serve as their food for the week. Three grimy children huddled around a dead fire, their faces and clothes covered in ashes. Pitiful.

The newcomers didn't understand their leader's orders. They had been given the duty to check up on the welfare of the three "nations" every month to make sure they were obedient to him. If the Golden Horde truly wanted to make slaves out of the runts why didn't he just subject them to becoming part of the state? Why would he leave them to govern themselves when they were obviously suffering just as much, if not more, than if their people came in and starting ruling them?

The men sneered in disgust and made to leave but stopped when the boy stood up and came towards them. He had multiple scars from past punishments and his thin face betrayed the poverty of his people. Still, there was a gleam in his eyes that showed his defiance and this was something that the men weren't going to tolerate.

"What? Do you want to be beaten again? Didn't you have enough last time? Or did you miss our mighty presence you dirty little worm."

"He wasn't afraid."

"What?"

"He wasn't afraid. When I talked to him. He didn't have fear and his home was filled with happiness."

"Who are you talking about? Another nation for us to conquer? Speak!"

"You can't take him. He has friends and soldiers and his people are strong. He wouldn't have listened to you like we do."

"Silence brat! How DARE you talk to us like that! We are your masters! You are NOTHING! We could take everything from you but we choose to let you live together in your filthy huts. Maybe you need a new punishment so you can understand your position!"

Reaching out the man snatched Natalia by her hair and started pulling her away. She kicked and screamed and clawed at him in the process losing her knife. Yekaterina wailed and begged the other men to let her go but they just slapped her and kicked her when she fell on the ground. Ivan leaned down and calmly picked up Natalia's knife flicking out the blade.

The men laughed at this and pulled their swords out ready to cut the boy regardless of their orders to keep him alive. Ivan moved forward his eyes glaring at the man who was dragging his baby sister away.

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><p>When the yells ceased and the bodies stopped twitching Yekaterina opened her eyes and looked at the bloody scene in horror. A rusty smell clogged her nose and made her stomach flip. A red stain was slowly spreading at her feet, lapped up by the dry, packed dirt. Natalia huddled on the floor trembling but her face was full of awe and something more sinister than fear.<p>

Ivan stood in the middle of the room his head held high drinking in the fresh memory. His body was covered in wounds and his knees wobbled, his legs too weak from blood loss to support him. When he opened his eyes he walked to a relatively clean corner of the room where a small golden frame sat. He raised his hand and stroked the face of a saint watching him with calm benevolence. He then grabbed a hand from each of his sisters and walked out the broken door. He didn't look back.

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><p>When the Golden Horde fell neither of Ivan's sisters resisted the formation of the duchy which consisted of all their lands nor when Ivan located its center in Moscow. With the fall of Constantinople and its role as the center of Orthodox Christianity they watched as Ivan claimed that legacy and made his new coat of arms out of its former standard, the double headed eagle.<p>

They had no idea of their brothers power. How far his reach would stretch. To them he was just their big brother. Their protector. They had no idea that he would change so dramatically under the pressures of becoming a major world player and a massive Eurasian empire. They had no concept of his cruelty and thought that it was something impossible for him to do but sometimes the world gives you no choice. These are the laws of nature. Adapt and survive. Or die.

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><p><strong>Because Ivan wants to be a good person at heart. In case you didn't catch it this takes place after Russia talks to kid Lithuania. In the last chapter the castaway "nations" can be up to your imagination but when I was writing it they were meant to be representative of the different tribes and people that tried to band together during that time (and failed) On to the tsars<strong>** ~Nami**


	4. Chapter 4 A Day In The Life

**A Day In The Life** –

Ivan took another swig of his kvas before digging back into the unyielding soil. It was a mild day and he was taking the chance to plant his grain. He picked up the plow and began humming under his breath.

"… That descend upon me from up above. They come down and I spin them around till they fit in the ground like hand in glove…"

"Brother! Come inside brother! You'll never believe what Natalia's doing!"

Ivan sighed and ignored the call going back to his work. This grain had to be planted not just for him but for the whole community and he wouldn't neglect that duty. Not even to see his sisters amusing antics. They may keep him entertained during the cold, barren season but now was the time to plant.

Once he had all the ground broken up he grabbed a bag and began spreading the seeds careful not to be wasteful. They only had so much.

"Brother! The food is almost ready!"

"Okay! I'm coming!"

Gently placing the rest of the seeds in the black dirt Ivan went inside his house. The room was crowded with people who smiled warmly when they saw him. Since they were nations and didn't have a very large extended family, Ivan and his sisters were charged with caring for the young and elderly whose families couldn't support them. It was a strange living arrangement but it worked. The old had a chance to pass on their knowledge and the children worked in the fields and other projects when called on.

"Mr. Ivan! Mr. Ivan! Ms. Natalia got in a drinking contest with Mr. Moriz again and they drank SO much and then Mr. Moriz passed out and now we can't wake him up!"

Ivan looked over at the old man who was infamous for his love of alcohol. Seeing as he was still breathing and wasn't going to wake up anytime soon he just dragged him over to a corner and threw a blanket on him. Then, turning to his youngest sister, he narrowed his eyes and smiled at her.

"Little Natalia? I know you did not touch our precious again did you? You know that we save that only for very special days and you already drank about half of it the last time…"

Natalia looked at him and paled realizing what she had done. She looked wordlessly at the empty bottle sitting on the table and looked down. She threw a furtive glance at her sister who stepped in before anything bad happened.

"Ah! D-don't worry brother! I told her she could drink it because the bottle we had was already opened and I used the extra money to buy some more…"

"You did what?"

The room went quiet. There were a few tense moments where it seemed like he would snap but then he just smiled and went to go get his food.

"It's okay. I was just worried because I thought there were other things we needed. I know it gets boring sometimes but try finding different distractions than drinking okay?"

The talking started up again and it was like nothing had happened. Settling with his food near a spot by the fire he listened absentmindedly to the conversation going on.

"Did you hear what Sophia's oldest boy is going to do?"

"You mean Alexander? The church-type? The one who tried learning to read?"

"Yes, that's the one. The arrogant little brat thinks he deserves better than the life he was given so he decided that he is going to leave for the city!"

"What?"

"It gets better. Not only is he depriving us of an extra hand, he is taking Agnessa with him."

"He can't! She's one of our biggest profit-makers! Without her medicine not only will we have nothing to take when we're sick but we will also lose our biggest income!"

"He's a fool if he thinks he'll get out of the village alive let alone with her. Some say they're just going to bar him from leaving but others say that they are going to let him reach the outskirts and then end him right then and there."

"What is he thinking? If only he would just settle down…"

"I know. The boy just won't listen. Everyone hates him now. The children throw stones at him and he can't buy anything because no one will sell to him. It's a sorry wretch who defies his fate."

Ivan frowned. He liked Alexander. He was very close with his family and he was always ready to lend a hand. Sometimes he even helped Ivan with his fields when he had extra time. What could have made him want to leave?

Ivan shook his and went over to listen to his sisters who were talking about the growing strength of the nations on their border to the west. Their biggest concern was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The failure to gain access to coastal trade was seriously hurting their chances of connecting and trading with Western Europe. Even though Ivan the Fourth had expanded their territory to include much of the land that used to belong to the Golden Horde they still had to deal with constant raids by the Crimeans and their Ottoman allies.

Ivan tuned this out too. This was why he had chosen to live in the country. Once he had set up the tsar he put absolute trust in him and his ability to deal with foreign problems. It was much easier living with the village and dealing with their small concerns than playing the role of the leader. Plus Ivan liked being close to his people. They were so trusting of each other and their naïve and simple lifestyle was more fulfilling than precarious city life.

The only thorn in his side was the settlers.

He understood the need to spread out his people. The more people loyal to him in extending lands the easier it was to control those territories. However, the constant presence of new people was unsettling. They were outsiders. They didn't belong. Ivan tried to reach out to them but he never felt the bond with them that he felt with the people in his own village. This was a problem that had never occurred to Ivan before now. He was a nation. He was supposed to represent all of his people but how could he do that when living with them meant separating them apart?

So Ivan pushed it to the side. Nothing was immediately wrong with his country and his people were, if not happy, then content. He didn't realize what a massive problem this was pose him not only in the near future but also for years to come.

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><p><strong>So yeah... I decided instead to make a chapter for peasants or serfs or whatever you want to call them. Kind of a filler chapter. Also credit for the song goes to my Soviet!Russia. Anybody recognize it? ~Nami<strong>


	5. Chapter 5 The Time of Troubles

**The Time of Troubles** –

It was all very sudden.

It happened when they were sitting in their home talking about the Massacre in Novgorod. Ivan was becoming concerned about the stability of his powerful counterpart, the severe Ivan IV, and with the falling population, either from murder, famine, or disease. Natalia and Yekaterina were trying to convince him to move back to the capital and assert what little influence he had over his violent boss before it was too late. They didn't realize how quickly their wish would be granted.

Suddenly there was knocking at the door. Yekaterina went up to get it and was met by a hard eyed group of Oprichniki. Ivan wasn't surprised. The Oprichniki, the so-called "Tsar's Dogs," were totally loyal to him and given the growing amount of enemies stacked against him they were becoming the Tsar's personal agents.

Scanning the room they nodded to each other and started shuffling the girls out. The leader put a hand on Ivan's shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"You need to come with us now. All will be explained later. We need to move now."

Ivan was startled by the fear and desperation in the man's face but nodded and followed him. His sisters had already mounted their horses and Yekaterina handed him the reins to his own. He pulled himself up giving his sisters a reassuring look. They were both frightened and Natalia's hands were shaking. There was a sense of urgency and even the wind seemed to bite at their heels urging them forward.

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><p>The mood when they reached the capital was somber. Black drapes hung from windows and the mournful wail of women filled the air. The only thought that came to mind filled Ivan with dread. The Tsar. What with the recent military failures and the violent abuse of the populace could the Tsar have been murdered? He knew that he would have felt the death of his leader but what if a new Tsar had been crowned? He tried to find his presence within the palace but all he could feel was a haze of grief that hung over the structure like a poisonous cloud.<p>

The Oprichniki escorted them through the main hall and down a corridor but instead of taking them to the Tsar's chamber they made a turn and came to a different room filled with people. All along the hall there were courtiers in various states of shock. At the door were priests mumbling prayers and there were more lining the walls inside. Crowded around a bed in the center was the royal family and kneeling on the floor, his face buried in the golden fabric, was none other than the Tsar himself.

Ivan heard his older sister gasp and Natalia's eyes got wide as she took her brother's hand. No, it wasn't the Tsar who had died. It was his heir.

One of the Tsar's former, and more fortunate, wives Anna came forward to speak to the three stunned nations. Summoned from her convent where she had been banished for her failure to produce children, she now gave solace to the same man that had spurned her. She bowed her head and spoke briefly of the events leading up to the Tsarevich's death. Of how the Tsar had beaten his daughter-in-law for her wearing light clothing causing her to miscarry. How he had gotten into an argument with his son over the miscarriage and how he then struck his son in the head out of anger accidently killing him.

Ivan was horrified. This was even worse than if the Tsar had died because now he was without a successor to the throne. Moscovy was saddled with a grief-stricken and unbalanced ruler and deprived of its future leader all in one blow. He had to do something.

Tentatively he approached the mourning Tsar. When he turned Ivan could see a face twisted and covered in tears. The Tsar's eyes were red and he had a death grip on the small cross resting in his hand. He made no sound except the moan that occasionally escaped his lips. This was a man broken with the pain of losing his son. Ivan reached out and touched the bed near the Tsar's shivering shoulders.

"My son… I've killed my son…"

"My Tsar… These things are terrible but you must not abandon your country when it needs you. There is still Feodor and your other children and you have the faith of your people…"

"Begone little Ivan. Leave me to my grief. You countries, immortal and unfeeling, can know nothing of the sorrow I bear."

Ivan tried to say something else but was stopped by Yekaterina who pulled him back and motioned for them to go. When they left they were stopped at the door by Feodor, Ivan's youngest child by his first wife, who was staring at them with ambivalence. The boy was intimidated by Ivan's stature and status but at the same time realized the importance of keeping him close.

"You're Ivan right? And your sisters and you represent our land? Father has given the orders for your things to be brought here. He believes it is no longer wise for you to live along the border with the conflict going on. You will now be living here at the palace."

Just like that Ivan was taking from his rugged village life to the dangerous stage of the court.

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><p>*Three Years Later*<p>

Ivan rolled his eyes at the mess going on in front of him and went back messing with his younger sister's hair. He didn't know how much longer he could put up with "Tsar" Feodor's weakness and incompetence. Not that he did much in the first place. Most of his duties as Tsar had been handed over to his wife's brother and he spent most of his time traveling to different churches spending more time in prayer than in managing his country.

To make it worse he had yet to produce a male heir and seemed to have little interest in doing so. There had been excitement when it was announced that the Tsarina was pregnant but this turned to disappointment and sadness when a frail daughter was born and died two years later.

Ivan watched as Feodor leaned back on his throne listening half-heartedly to the conversation carried out by his brother-in-law and the foreign diplomats. He yawned and slumped in his chair. His eyes glazed over and he didn't even bat an eye when the discussion escalated into an argument that bordered on violence. He was a weak Tsar. He didn't care about the affairs of the politicians or when negotiations failed under his authority and he was going to ruin everything that his father had worked so hard to build. His indifference was to set the spark that would bring the end of the Rurik dynasty and the beginning of a period of confusion and chaos and there was nothing Ivan could do to stop it.

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><p><strong>Wow. This sounds like such a textbook. So this chapter has the other Ivan in it because Nutty Nerd mentioned that I should put him in here. I just made up the death-bed scene because I don't really know who all was there but Anna really was one of Ivan's wives. I decided not to mention the other rulers before Ivan because he was the first one to call himself Tsar and because there it starts to get more into the religious, little father, Church-Land-Tsar type deal. Review especially if there's someone you want Ivan to meet because I'm going kind of fast and I know I might skip some people. ~Nami<strong>


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